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.... It blamed heightened political uncertainty, with the “complexity of Brexit becoming much more apparent”. Lucian Cook, the head of UK residential research at Savills, said: “Uncertainty fuelled by Brexit and a weakened government mandate since the June election means sentiment is fragile. ...

....99 a month. 4 Bundle vs unbundle Sky, BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk all offer bundles where you pay a monthly price for a phone line, broadband and a selection of TV channels (sometimes you can add a mobile too). ...

....The news on the employment front has been almost universally good in the past six months. So strong has been the recent surge in employment that the government is now on track for the first time to reach the goal set by Tony Abbott at the 2013 election of 1 million jobs in five years:. ...

.... It has been doubly true since the collapse of official borrowing costs in the 10 years since the financial crisis to barely more than zero. PFI deals were dreamed up when Britain crashed out of the exchange rate mechanism 25 years ago and were falling out of favour with the Tories when Gordon Brown backed them strongly following the 1997 election. ...

....Analysis by the Centre for Health and the Public Interest suggests PFI contracts – a way of financing large-scale infrastructure projects, including schools and hospitals, widely used under Conservative and Labour governments over the past two decades – have generated £831m in profits for private sector firms in the health sector over the past six years alone. Private finance initiative deals were introduced in 1992 under the Tory government of John Major, before becoming widespread under Tony Blair’s Labour administration after the 1997 election. ...

....So what do BAME leaders feel is the best way forward? Some stress the importance of performing well in their prominent roles to advance the cause. As Athwal says: “When it gets to the next election you want them to say: ‘Oh, we had a Sikh guy last time. ...

....Yet – unlike, it seems, the recent devaluation – the 1967 one, thought disastrous for the reputation of the government, was a success from the point of view of (eventually) correcting the trade deficit. Unfortunately for Labour, however, some freak trade figures published on the eve of the 1970 general election enabled the tabloid press to proclaim “Britain Back in the Red”. ...

....While Britons may have fallen out of love with the M&S clothing range in recent years, they have been flocking to its food aisles to pick up ingredients for an evening meal rather than do a big weekly shop. M&S has been selling a selection of party food and alcohol on its website for some time, but this is the first time its wider grocery range, including staples such as bread and milk, have been available online. ...

....The money, alleged to have been given in brown envelopes, was said to have funded Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign. The “Bettencourt affair” tarnished the latter half of Sarkozy’s presidency, and when he lost the 2012 election he was placed under formal investigation for illegal campaign financing and taking advantage of Bettencourt. ...

....The outspoken chief executive repeated apologies to about 315,000 passengers and admitted the airline had made a “major boo boo”. But his contrition did not appear to have appease all investors, some of whom voted against the company’s remuneration report and the re-election of board members. ...

....But the scrapping of 2,000 flights across Europe, 702 of these to and from Italy, between now and the end of October, has raised questions as to whether Ryanair would be capable of reviving Alitalia. With the sale of the airline likely to become a political sticking point as Italy prepares for a general election before May 2018, the transport minister, Graziano Delrio, said the impact of the cancellations was “very serious”. ...

.... They are four times as likely to rent privately than two generations ago, a sector which has the worst record for housing quality, the report claims. The report’s authors argue that the housing crisis is a huge part of public anxiety about the country’s direction, a factor in the result of the EU referendum last year and in the general election in June. ...

....The new rules, which were published in a consultation document on Tuesday, also give companies, unions and other employee representatives more time to respond to bids in changes which follow the controversial £115bn attempted takeover of Unilever by Kraft Heinz earlier this year. Ahead of the general election in June, the Conservatives promised that deals driven by “aggressive asset-stripping or tax avoidance” would no longer be welcome. ...

....The detail of the Treasury select committee inquiry is still being worked out but Morgan said her ambition was take evidence “not just sitting in London”. When she was standing to become chair of the committee after the election, Morgan had flagged the issue of household debt as one of the areas she felt needed closer examination. ...

.... Here are five reasons why investors are buying into shares. Donald Trump’s proposals for tax cuts and a spending spree to boost the US economy gave some impetus to stock markets after his election, but his inability to pass key reforms – notably on healthcare – raised doubts about his other plans. ...

.... Ed Miliband, a leader of the Thwart Rupert campaign, sees no regulatory end in sight. “Our broadcasting code is not enough protection because its impartiality rules can’t take account of story selection, tone or prominence. ...

.... They argue that when Angela Merkel said earlier this year that the unity of Europe was paramount – which meant maintaining the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour within the union’s borders – the German leader’s hard line was largely due to the unrest then evident in much of Europe. The French, Dutch and German general elections lay ahead, the Five Star movement had won big in Italy’s local elections on a platform of quitting the euro, and Poland was becoming an increasingly detached neighbour, receding into a form of Catholic feudalism. ...

....European leaders also want to push on with eurozone reforms. Two days after the German elections on 24 September, Macron is expected to set out a detailed blueprint of his ideas, which include a eurozone finance minister and parliament. ...

.... This has not, however, dimmed the anger of some of the business who have been complaining for years about GRG’s treatment. Bailey and colleagues will be called next month to give evidence to the new committee, which held its first meeting since the general election on Thursday. ...

.... That disconnect was expertly exploited by the president, who, despite his many lies, had the advantage of being a political “outsider” who told some important truths about the economy that resonated with voters. Months before the election, he proclaimed that there was a “big bubble” in the market, fueled by “cheap money” that could cause a “massive recession” when it bursts. ...

....”. Criado-Perez told the Guardian said: “This represents so much more than a banknote: the Bank of England changed their entire selection procedure to make sure an all-male line-up would never happen again. ...

....Quintain admits that many tenants will be “paying a premium for the lifestyle,” but it says 32% of the planned homes at Wembley Park will be affordable. This is a higher proportion than seen at many other London developments, and just below the 35% target set by the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan - down from his election promise of 50%. ...

....Campaigners have called on the government to do more. The prime minister had pledged a price cap on energy bills for 17m families during the general election campaign but the policy was missing from the Queen’s speech. ...

. Public sector employers are preparing to hire at the fastest pace since 2015, as NHS staff shortages and the rejection of austerity at the election encourages managers to recruit more workers, according to a survey. ...

. With Emmanuel Macron’s victory in the French presidential election and Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union enjoying a comfortable lead in opinion polls ahead of Germany’s federal election on 24 September, a window has opened for eurozone reform. ...

....”. Tanzania has locked horns with several foreign mining companies since the 2015 election of John Magufuli, who as president has sought to extract higher value for the country’s raw materials. ...

....” The industry body, RenewableUK, called the prices astounding. Industry and campaigners used the auction results to pile pressure on the government to commit to a timetable for the further £440m-a-year of subsidies that officials have allocated but which ministers have not confirmed since the general election in June. ...

.... “The idea that there will be more auctions, that’s really important, for developing and keeping a supply chain in the UK,” she said. The government has allocated another £440m a year for further auctions held before 2020, but since the general election it has not made clear whether they will still go ahead. ...

....Trade unions are a diminished force in British politics but they still have the ability to shape public opinion and government policy. Union membership has more than halved from its peak of 13 million in the mid-70s, yet the installation of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader will give them renewed heft should the left win the next election. ...

.... The degree of disagreement is growing. Thanks to internal Tory machinations, much time as well as effort has been wasted, not least by May’s general election own goal in June and the distracting leadership rivalries it subsequently encouraged. ...

....By then, following the left’s increasing demonisation of Norman through the 1930s, the Bank had been nationalised in 1946 by the postwar Labour government. The move was essentially symbolic, but importantly so, and through the 1950s and 1960s monetary policy became increasingly politicised, with opportunistic chancellors often having an eye on forthcoming byelections and suchlike. ...

....62 a week by 2020 compared with the end of last year, once benefit and tax changes, wages, housing costs and inflation are all taken into account. The report’s publication comes as Philip Hammond, the chancellor, faces intense pressure to ease years of austerity following an election result that signalled voters had reached the end of their patience with spending cuts. ...

....A spokesman for Hargreaves Lansdown said it won’t be specifically recommending the Blue Whale fund because it does not have a sufficiently long track record: “The Blue Whale fund will not be on the Wealth 150 recommended list. The Wealth 150 is our selection of the best funds available to UK investors, and to be considered we require a fund manager to have a demonstrable track record across a range of market environments. ...

....The company revealed the payout in a stock exchange announcement, which came days after chairman Keith Hellawell narrowly escaped being voted out by independent shareholders partly in response to poor treatment of workers under his stewardship. Only just over 53% of independent investors backed his re-election on Wednesday as Hellawell defended Sports Direct’s use of zero-hours contracts and said there was no need for an independent review of its working practices. ...

....They also ask: “What discussions did the FCA (whether at board or working level) have with ministers or officials from government departments in advance of and during the consultation, and in particular on the balance between attracting foreign investment and maintaining the integrity of the UK markets?”. The committees are being reformed after the July general election and are likely to be formally constituted next week. ...

.... Many European countries, including Italy and France, operate banks through their postal operators. The Labour party also included the establishment of a commission to create a Post Bank in its election manifesto. ...

....In a letter to Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA, Morgan said the so-called skilled persons’ report into the activities of the now defunct global restructuring group should be published without delay. It was a topic that had been raised by her predecessor, Andrew Tyrie, who did not stand at the June election. ...

....”. Downing Street and the Treasury have increasingly been trying to reach out to businesses since the election, including hosting summits on Brexit and reinstating David Cameron’s business advisory group. ...

....Hellawell, 75, who has been chairman since 2009, had pledged to step down if he failed to win the backing of independent investors who voted against him last year. Just over 53% of independent investors backed his re-election on Wednesday even though he has been viewed as a weak chairman who is failing to counter the power of the company’s majority shareholder and founder, Mike Ashley. ...

....Tighter immigration controls could damage economic growth, bringing potentially dire consequences for the nation’s finances. The rapid reduction in net migration to below 100,000 new arrivals to the UK each year – a Tory campaign pledge before the election – could knock 3. ...

....Navient is the primary point of contact, or the “servicer”, for more student loans in the United States than any other company, handling 12 million borrowers and $300bn in debt. The company flourished as student loan debt exploded under the Obama administration, and its stock rose sharply after the election of Donald Trump. ...

.... “That is why we are investing £23bn in infrastructure, R&D and housing while also reforming technical education to prepare for the high paid, high skilled jobs of the future,” the Treasury spokesman said. Theresa May is under pressure to reboot her premiership after failing to gain a majority in the last election. ...

....In just a year the deal must be done, in time to be ratified by the 27 nations by March 2019. Our government has approached it like a bunch of England football fans, shouting: “Who won the war?” Supposedly sober politicians boast loudly that they need us more than we need them: “We hold all the cards!” Those with delusions about Britain’s importance should note that in Sunday’s election debate between Angela Merkel and Martin Schultz, Brexit was not mentioned once. ...

....Javid hopes by adopting an expansive approach, which includes data about the local housing market, he can kickstart redevelopment in areas where prices are rising fastest. May’s resolve to tackle the problem may have been strengthened by the party’s poor showing among young people at the general election in June. ...

....Diamond was supposed to help improve diversity in broadcasting but at the moment it is just creating more divisions. One of the least-vaunted policies in Labour’s manifesto for the 2017 general election was a plan to launch a national review into the demise of local media. ...

.... This year, however, his chairman, Keith Hellawell, will be left to take the flak alone. A trio of powerful City investors are expected to vote against Hellawell’s re-election but Ashley will not be there to defend him – even if he votes his stake, which is more than 60% of the business, in Hellawell’s favour. ...

....A spokesman for Fairer Gambling, which campaigns against FOBTs, called on the government not to cave in to the gambling industry and agree a compromise on the maximum that can be staked on the terminals. “Both Labour and the Liberal Democrat manifestos at the last general election committed to reducing the maximum stake on FOBTs to £2 a spin,” the spokesman said. ...

....4bn annually. During the election campaign, Theresa May pledged to cap bills for 17 million families on the worst-value energy tariffs, but the plan was missing from the Queen’s speech – to the delight of big energy companies. ...

....However, sellers have been urged to be "realistic" about prices, in order to make a sale. Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, said: "These figures are encouraging because they are reflecting what we have seen on the ground - in other words, even after the uncertainty of the general election result and the beginning of serious Brexit negotiations, buyers and sellers are shrugging off concerns and getting on with moving. ...

....”. During the general election Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, won support by focusing heavily on pay disparities, suggesting a possible pay cap that would limit the highest paid member of staff to 20 times the average worker for companies with public sector contracts. ...

. Many of the anti-austerity policies that have led to a revival of Portugal’s economy (The lie is nailed – there is an alternative to austerity, 24 August) did not actually originate from the Socialist government, but from conditions set by radical leftwing and green parties to enable the Socialists to govern after they failed to win a majority in the 2015 national elections. ...

....Denis Healey never actually said he intended to squeeze the rich until the pips squeaked. The man who would soon be Labour chancellor was referring solely to property speculators when he made the remark during the February 1974 election campaign. ...

.... It is an open secret that up to half a dozen members of the cabinet, and at least one double-breasted outsider, are metaphorically polishing their daggers. As my colleague Andrew Rawnsley has pointed out, the only thing holding up a revolt against Theresa May is fear that, by precipitating yet another election, the assassins might end up with Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street. ...

.... If we are serious about breaking down barriers to encourage more women into politics, we have to think bigger than simply swelling their ranks to match those of men. Prevailing norms that hinder recruitment, selection, election and progression of aspiring female politicians need addressing. ...

....According to the latest figures, revealed in a letter sent by the Department for Education to local authorities and seen by the Observer, 82,000 parents entitled to the extra childcare have not yet secured a place for their three and four-year-olds. The offer, which doubles the current government-funded allowance, was a flagship Tory election pledge and is due to be implemented on Friday. ...

....Britain’s top companies could be forced to disclose and explain the pay gap between their chief executive and workers under plans to be set out by Theresa May as she tries to show her domestic reform agenda remains on track. Despite the Conservatives’ disastrous general election performance, the government is keen to demonstrate that it will get to grips with rising corporate pay in plans expected to be announced next week. ...

.... For both of them, work barely altered their finances compared with unemployment, yet made them physically ill. The Conservative manifesto at the general election repeated the party’s mantra that work is the best route out of poverty. ...

....Do you or your family hope to buy a home in the future? Are you a homeowner already or have you been put off? What particular challenges do you face? What do you think are the reasons for the statistics mentioned above?. Share your experiences in the form below – anonymously if you prefer – and we’ll use a selection in our reporting. ...

....Sir Martin Sorrell has warned of a global economic slowdown as WPP slashed its growth forecast for the second time, leaving the world’s largest advertising group facing its worst year in a decade. Sorrell said the election results in the UK and US, combined with erratic economic conditions in faster-growth economies such as China, had affected the global advertising market. ...

....It has led to a situation where there has been a sharp increase in the number of workers operating under an award – up from 10% in 2010 to now 24%:. This area will be the main industrial relations battlefield at the next election, and one of the major issues is the increase in EBA terminations during the bargaining of a new agreement. ...

.... “The current outdated structure of rail fares penalises them – they have to either buy a full-time season ticket or expensive peak day fares. Successive transport ministers have promised change; it was even in the Conservative 2015 election manifesto, but nothing seems to be happening. ...

....The report, Power to the people? Tackling the gender imbalance in local government & combined authorities, finds that women face a number of barriers to entering local government and progressing into leadership roles. Despite calls from politicians on all sides for more women to enter politics, the percentage of female candidates selected by parties to stand in council ward elections has flatlined, at around a third, since 2007. ...

....6m, according to analysts at Kantar Worldpanel, which found more people buying hot puddings, and doing so more frequently. “Asda’s Baker’s Selection range has witnessed 151% growth, helping to drive strong performance in the sponge pudding and chilled pancake sectors,” Kantar analyst Fridaos Abdulrauf told the Grocer. ...

.... It said the used car market represented a significant opportunity and that it had seen a 23% increase in leads generated by its website in the first half of 2017. There has been plenty of pressure on car sales in recent months, with consumers facing political uncertainty from the Brexit vote and Theresa May’s snap general election, while the government also put forward plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2040 to encourage a shift to electric vehicles. ...